Wake Up Beautiful

This is the time of year when we all begin to come out of hibernation and rejoin the world. There’s just such a great energy in the air that really motivates and rejuvenates us. Which gets me thinking: We must also refresh our beauty and skin care needs, which have taken quite a beating over this long and harsh winter-no matter where you live!

There is NO better time to do this than while you’re asleep. First of all, it’s the easiest means of multitasking. Prepare for the night right and your body will do all of the hard work while you’re dreaming of that new Chanel bag. Secondly, science argues that your body does most of its healing while you doze off. Therefore you really want your products to be used properly and most effectively at night time.

Here are some of my favorite suggestions.

1. Prevent Eye Puffiness.
Thanks to a little thing called gravity you lose your ability to properly drain fluid while you sleep because you’re laying flat. Even worse if you ate a high sodium dinner or had a few too many alcoholic beverages the night before. I recommend drinking a large glass of water before bed and first thing when you wake. You should also switch from an eye cream-which can be heavy with puff inducing oils- to an eye gel. My personal favorite is Clinique All About Eyes Gel ($31 at Clinique.com) which helps work against eye puffiness and dark circles.

2. Prevent Breakouts.
Cortisol is a evil little hormone caused by stress which -when levels get high- can wreak havoc on your skin and body. You’re at extra risk for zits if you’re lacking sleep as this is the time the hormone generally stabilizes. To help get ahead if you know you may miss some Zzs apply a lightweight salicylic gel after washing your face which will keep oil out of pores (oil is a byproduct of cortisol) and will speed up your body’s natural healing process. You’ll wake up with noticeably different skin. Try” Olay Fresh Effects Spot Zinger 2-in-1 Salicylic Acid Acne Spot Treatment ($7 at drugstores) or Clinique Spot Healing Treatment ($27 at Clinique.com)

3.Get Plump Lips.
Since lips lack oil glands, they are very sensitive to dehydration. Having strong heat or air conditioning in your home or work place can leave them less-than-kissable. Every night use a lip treatment that containes ceramides (lipids found in skin). Lightly run a toothbrush over your lips before applying to remove flakiness so that the balm can really penetrate lips.

4. Revive Curls.
If your hair is anything like mine, looking into the morning in the A.M. can be a scary process. Curly hair is porous, which means the cuticle lets out moisture quickly and can cause frizz. Once or twice a week at bedtime apply a leave in conditioner to dry strands prior to hitting the sheets. Wake up, rinse, and leave frizz-free.

5.Refresh Roots.
Many of us sweat while we sleep, and there are thousands of sweat glands on the scalp-the reason why you can wake up with oily hair even if you washed it before bed. This can be especially difficult for people with fine hair that can be easily weighed down. For fresh hair in the morning, press dry shampoo onto your scalp with a makeup sponge before hitting bed to help absorb any excess oils while you snooze.